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(No Model.)

C. G. PERKINS.

ELECTRIC LAMP.. Y

No.v 244,482.

Patented-July 1,19', 18811'. FIGA-.

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CHARLES G.' PERKINS, OF NEW YORK, Y., ASSIGNOR TO THE UNITED STATES ELECTRIOLIGHTING COMPANY, OF SAME PLAGE.

ELECTRIC LAMP.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 244,482, dated July 19, 1881. Application tiled February 24, 1881. (No model.)

To all whomit may concern Beit known that I, CHARLES G. PERKINS, of the city, county, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electric Lamps, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, ret'- erence being had to the drawings accompanying and forming a part thereof. Y

My invention relates to that class of lamps in which the light is produced by the incandescence of a continuous conductor inclosed in an exhausted glass globe, and it provides for the regulation of the amount of light of any one lamp in a system without affecting to any appreciable extent the intensity of the others. For this purpose I employ in each lamp a number of carbons of unequal degrees of resistance and a switch or key for directing the current through one or anotherof the same, according to the intensity of the light which may be desired.

The method I have by preference employed in carrying out this invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is a view of the lamp complete containing several carbons; Fig. 2, a view, partly in section, of the neck of the globe, showing the conducting-wires sealed therein; Fig. 3, a

plan view of the switch-key with its several.

sections; Fig. 4, a detailed view of one of the conducting-strips of the switch, and Fig. 5 a

plan view of the connections of the switch asl arranged for operation.

The lamp A, of the usual type, has a neck, a, through which pass and are sealed the conductor C at E', and the group of independent conductors O at E. C is divided, at a short distance from the point where it is sealed to the glass, into as many branches as there are independent conductors C. These latter, with the branches of wire O,form the supports for carbon-strips B, of unequal resistances, so that by directing the current through each of these strips successively as many different intensities of light may be obtained from a given current as there are carbons.

Without prescribing any xed limits to the resistances which should be offered by the several carbons, itis only necessary to observe that a considerable difference should exist, and that 5o they should he so graduated that a veryintense as well a's a comparatively dim light may be produced, as desired.-

The dill'erences in resistance may be obtained Aby varying either the length or the cross-sec- 5 5 tion of the carbon conductors.

In the drawings I have also shown a circuitcloser which is peculiarly adapted to this kind It consists of metallic segments D, corresponding in number to conductors O', and 6o a spring-seated contact, F, fixed to the rotary shaft, turned by athumb-piece, M. Insulatingsegments D intervene between the conductingplates D,"and act as ratchets to prevent the key from being turned backward.

To the metallic segments D are suitably secured metal pins g', which pass up through the insulating top or cover H of the lamp-base. Conducting-strips Gr of different lengths are attached to the heads of pins g', and their ends, 7o carrying small metal sockets g, are brought toA gether in a group, as shown in Fig. 5, for receiving the free ends of conductors O'. This arrangementof connecting strips and pins may be employed with equal advantage when only 7 5 one incandescin g conductor is used. The wire O, which forms a return-circuit for all the carbons, may have direct connection to line by means ot' a wire.

Inoperating this device the key is turned 8o from one segment to another until the current is directed through a carbon which gives the amount of light required. The usual method of accomplishing this result is to interpose a variable resistance in the circuit exterior to the 8 5 lamp; but with such devices there is always the danger'of a stronger current than usual turning the resistance devices, while by my arrangement such an accident is impossible, as the carbons are all inclosed in a vacuum. 9o

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination, with the exhausted globe of an electric lamp, of two or more independent 9 5 incandescing conductors of unequal degrees of electrical resistance sealed therein, whereby as many intensities of light may be obtained from a given current as there are conductors, as demeeting-strips G, provided with sockets for the scribed. reception of the free ends of the conductors,

2. A multiple circuit-brcakcr for electric insubstantially as shown. candcscent lamps, consisting of a spring-seated In testimony whereofI have hereunto set my contact-pawl, F, xed to a rotary shaft and hand this 19th day of February, 1881.

adapted to cn 0age with thc alternate metallic w and iusulatingb segments D D', substantially as (JHARLES G PERKINS' shown and described. Witnesses:

3. The combination,inanincandescentlamp- L. H. LATIMER,

1o base, of metallic segments D, pins g', and cou- I HIRAM S. MAXIM. 

